103 

 AN ADDITION TO THE BRITISH LICHEN-FLORA. 



Rev. W. JOHNSON. 



It was my good fortune to discover recently an interesting 

 addition to our British Lichen-Flora. 



I have beside me considerable lichen-material gathered years 

 ago. I have recently turned my attention to this material, 

 and in a gathering from St. Bees, Cumberland, I found on 

 examination, what turned out to be not only a new lichen to 

 Great Britain, but a new genus also, which is that of Sarcopy- 

 renia Nyl. This genus only contains one species which is 

 named Sarcopyrenia gihha Nyl. It is a very distinct and 

 interesting lichen, having a sort of double clavate sporidia,, 

 unlike the sporidia of any previous British species. 



Dr. Nylander records this lichen as previously found in 

 Algiers, Switzerland and Germany. It grows on arenaceous 

 and limestone rocks. In growth, my specimens are associated 

 with Lecanora vitellina Ach., the yellow, squamulose, thallus, 

 of which must not be confused with that of Sarcopyrenia. I 

 found this new lichen on the shore rocks St. Bees, and on the 

 Whitehaven side of those rocks from the entrance from St. 

 Bees Village. The rocks were large and flat, and almost on 

 the sand level. 



I sent a specimen of this lichen to the British Museum, 

 where Miss A. L. Smith, F.L.S., confirmed my discovery, a 

 notice of which will appear in her new volume. 



I may also say that I purpose including this new lichen 

 in the 13th Fasciculus of my ' North of England Lichen-Her- 

 barium,' which is now only awaiting the issue of Miss Smith's 

 final volume. 



Water-Vole and Hedgehog. — Recently, a friend of 

 mine, while walking along by a small stream in Surrey, saw, a 

 short distance ahead, a full grown water-vole pulling some 

 heavy object across his path. On reaching the spot this 

 proved to be the carcase of a nearly full-grown hedgehog. 

 The vole had hold of the hedgehog by the throat, and was 

 about to cross the stream with it. No doubt the hedgehog 

 had been dead for some hours, and had probably been found 

 in that condition by the vole. — L. B. Langmead, Forest Hill, 

 Jan. i8th. 1918. 



o 



The Journal of the Board of Agriculture for January contains an illus- 

 trated article on Cheese Mites. 



We understand that Mrs. Leo Grindon has offered ;^2,ooo for the 

 provision and upkeep of a meeting and lecture room in the future new 

 Manchester Free Reference Library for the use of the different Scientific 

 Societies in the city. 



